Zalgiris tabs Samhan and keeps Watson

Zalgiris improved its frontcourt for the upcoming 2010-11 Euroleague season by adding center Omar Samhan to a two-year deal, the club announced Friday. Zalgiris keeps an option to extend it until the end of the 2012-13 season. Samhan (211, 21) arrives from St Mary's College of California (NCAA), where he just finished his four-year college career. He averaged 21.3 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.9 blocks in 34 games last season, helping his team to make it to the NCAA Tournament eighthfinals. Samhan led the Gaels to win the West Coast Conference tournament (WCC) in 2010. He has chosen as the All-WCC defensive player of the year and earned All-WCC first team honors for the second consecutive season. Samhan is ready to make his professional debut with Zalgiris in the Euroleague next season. Zalgiris also announced that it picked up its team option to keep Travis Watson next season. Watson was the Euroleague's top rebounder (9.5 rpg.) last season. Zalgiris turned down the option to keep Povilas Cukinas, but he was offered a one-year deal instead. The club relies on Mirza Begic, Tadas Klimavicius and Mario Delas - all under contract - to complete a deep, powerful frontcourt.